The Spiral
by Kuroix
Summary: Their skin was smeared with blood. Each told tales of themselves, and they fit like jigsaw puzzles within the apprehensive mystery. Under the eerie, blood-red harvest moon of autumn, their story begins. AU
1. The Curtains Arise

**Chapter 1 - The Curtains Arise**

The light radiating from the hanging moon above was starting to fade, as if it could not make up its mind, creating new shadows and dark patches around. Eyes glimmered from tree hollows, while owls hummed in and out of the eerie atmosphere. The wind howled between distorted trunks, carrying the sickly stink of wood rot. Trees towering above all the other life forms stood utterly still, like statues in a living museum where no leaf dared to fall.

Amidst the intersecting trees, two lone figures settled themselves upon the cool mossy ground. One girl was currently resting on a jagged rock. Anyone could tell she was born of nobility at one glance. She was breath-taking with a well-crafted body, a sight still obviously discernible by the feminine curves which the cloak -she was now wrapped in- failed to conceal.

While on the opposite side of the crackling fire, a twin-tailed girl chanced a glance at the noble. She had already finished skewering as well as smoking the two fishes she caught from the river earlier, but was now at a loss of handing one to the silently intimidating girl. Something about the other girl made Nico nervous, a feeling she despised.

She tried to focus her eyes upon the noble's emotionless face, but to no avail. Against her will they traveled down a taut stomach and a voluptuous chest, through the slightly torn and dirtied cape the other girl was enveloped in. No sooner did Nico realize what was she looking at did she hastily avert her gaze back to the noble's still-blank face. She felt her cheeks heating up unwillingly, while a sprig of jealousy began to clench onto her heart.

_'Oh God, how am I going to do this?'_ She groaned to herself. After living a life of nobility for almost sixteen years as the warlord's sole daughter, the prideful princess must have been accustomed to luxuriousness. As a matter of fact, Nico was positively convinced that was the case.

She had seen it before. The food served on the palace's grand dining table were the most high-quality vegetables and meat the whole kingdom could offer, complemented with sets of shimmering stainless-steel utensils within the dimly-lighted room. Even the dishware was lined with gold linings! She doubted the princess would ever lower herself to eating the plain, unappealing – even a little burnt – fish. Nico continued to ponder over the possibility for a few more seconds, before officially giving up. She had more essential things to worry about, rather than fussing over whether a spoiled princess would bother to eat the 'lowly commoner' food or not.

_'Ah, who cares about that now? With the castle under attack, we can't just go back! And why does Nico even care if the princess would eat or not? If this goes on, there's no knowing if we can even secure any more food or not Nico!'_ The distressed girl knotted her brows in irritation at the last sentence, with her permanent frown sinking deeper into her scrunched-up face. Clearly dismayed at how she ended up in such a pathetic situation.

Everything was normal until this afternoon, with Nico spending her early morning washing clothes, dusting rooms and preparing the royal family's afternoon tea. She was carrying out her chores according to the usual routine, so why was it that things had advanced so quickly – to the point of her not being able to grasp the true situation herself?

But in the end, reality was reality. She chose to believe her own eyes when she saw troops of armed soldiers trudging into the Nishikino castle, hitting, destroying and killing whoever dared to come across their way.

Recalling that time, all Nico could consider herself as having was pure luck, as she managed to squeeze her small body way beneath the stone stove when agonized screams made their way to her sensitive ears, accompanied with the rather disturbing sounds of blood splattering onto the paved grounds.

While she continued to squat under the stove, with her trembling knees crouched together, all Nico could do was try to calm down and monitor her shaky breathing. It was also horrifying enough when she heard Seiko – who was one of her better-acquainted friends – letting out the most dreadful scream of all.

The distinguishing cheerfulness in her usual bright, high-pitched voice was instantly recognizable to the other teenager girl, as she had been the one who welcomed Nico with open arms, selflessly helping and offering advice to her since the day she started serving in the palace two years ago.

It was an unbearable, painfully helpless feeling. Nico was forced to hear her own friend screaming and begging, in a voice much shriller in contrast of her usual gentle tone, while being treated, raped in the most inhuman way possible. Words could not describe how scared…no, terrified she was feeling.

Though ironically, in the midst of her friend's screaming pleas, Nico instead was grateful of possessing such a petite frame. This small body which she had always despised ever since reaching at the age of womanhood, saved her from suffering a cruel fate such as her friend's.

_'Seiko…'_ A dark look spread across Nico's face, her bruised hands unconsciously tightening their hold on the skewers she held. The name alone struck her hard in the core and sent conflicting chills down her spine. As much as she refused to accept the truth, Nico had indeed, selfishly abandoned her true friend when the latter needed help the most.

It was an unavoidable fact. It was reality. She let her friend fall into the hands of those brutal, sadistic and not to mention bastard soldiers who thought they could do anything they pleased; possibly by the orders of their master…An intolerable sense of nausea plunged into Nico's stomach at the cold realization. She had not given it the slightest of thought just until this moment. Seiko's harsh, penetrating screams then started to replay themselves in Nico's ears repeatedly like a broken record. The shrieks also seemed to take on invisible forms; continuously stabbing deep into her stricken heart as each scream resurfaced.

She cast her eyes down to the loamy ground while her breaths quickened, trying to force those suffocating screams and cruel laughter out of her blurred mind but to no avail. What a mess of contradicting emotions.

The uneven breathing of Nico's caught the attention of the other girl for a brief moment. Her scrutinizing lavender eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion, as memories of this previous afternoon came flowing back to her. How…could this girl…

* * *

_Her grunts no longer echoed off the castle walls, but she still couldn't fight back the painful moans and gasping for air that escaped her lips. She grabbed the wrist of the hand that pinned down her body, while her other hand sought the blade of the sword that was a mere few centimeters from boring into her right shoulder. It was a pure instinct to remove the throbbing pain, but it met the hand of her attacker, who hadn't let go of the sword and surely labored no intention to change the fact._

_She opened her eyes narrowly, looking up at the man who was sitting astride her. His colorless gray eyes were calm and unwavering; a complete opposite of her anguished face which was now distorted with pain._

_Her 'fiancé' bent down, leaning close to her face, his cheek lightly brushing against hers. The girl frowned deeply at the act of affection and snapped her face aside, clearly disgusted. Even the smell of alcohol coming from the man sickened her to no end._

_"Why do you detest me so much, Maki?" He whispered tenderly, once again positioning himself more securely on top of the young princess. She clenched her teeth in pain as her 'future husband' began to pierce the tip of the sword into her shoulder, ever so slowly._

_"I am your fiancé, the future lord of this kingdom. Though your father, the current warlord turned down my humble proposal of becoming your other half, I will not let that lead me astray. I simply love you too much to just give up after a mere rejection…"_

_"D…Don't tell such lies!" A bead of sweat rolled down Maki's temple. She strived to ignore the electrifying jolt in her right shoulder, and struggled to get the words out. "You do not love me, no one does! All of you…are just after what I, my father have…!"_

_Wealth, power, beauty and the most notable of all…authority. No matter how much a man gains, nothing would be able to justify his greed. This never-ending repeated loop of stealing land and kingdoms, claiming it all to themselves, would do naught but have a calamity of distress befall millions of people. Suffering and misfortune was inevitable. No matter what the consequences were, Maki refused to be a part of it._

_"Please don't say those hurtful words." The man's voice turned slightly colder; he inclined his head a little to meet Maki in the eyes and smiled. While he still remained soft-spoken, blood started oozing out of her wound as he sank the sword deeper into the princess' delicate shoulder._

_"I…nghh…y-you…that's…" Maki gave up talking. She was panting and desperately trying not to focus on the burning pain originated from her shoulder. The clock continued ticking heartlessly in the background, making her sense how timeless this moment felt. Was this a dream? Or was it not? Another unhesitant stab reminded her that it was indeed real._

_"Is something the matter? You seemed like you were spacing out there." The curve of his lips was slowly dropping. With a hundred and eighty degrees change, the man looked disappointed, unamused even._

_'W-What…?'_

_"In order to gain the warlord's permission, I did every trick in the book to satisfy him. I offered him the finest jewelry my kingdom could give, and presented him with my family's treasured ornaments, which were descended from my long-lost ancestors…WHY WAS IT NOT ENOUGH?!"_

_Maki yelped in pain as the sword was thrust downwards, her body tensing and cringing at the aftermath. She held back her pained moans and felt a large amount of blood trickling down from her arm onto the marble floor, forming a small red thickened puddle._

_Chuckling at his handiwork, the man's eyes flashed dangerously as if set aflame with rage, while a twisted smile formed on his grinning lips. "However, there's no need to worry about your stubborn parents, Maki. Since I have…disposed of them. You saw it yourself, didn't you?" A sweet smile graced his lips as he inclined his head at her._

_A loud scream forced out all the air in Maki's lungs as the sword was suddenly pulled out of her right shoulder. Above the princess, he had pinned her down and was smiling again. "Y…You m-murderer…" That was all Maki could manage to whisper. She did not even have the time to grieve for her decreased parents. But the princess was sure of one fact._

_This man was not going to kill her off so quickly. He would be sure to torment and humiliate Maki until she broke, then eventually taking advantage of her pitiable, wretched state. Doing whatever he wanted or pleased to her. The young princess was positively sure about it._

_After all, his wicked deeds did not go ignored by the surrounding kingdoms that spread the rumors and warnings. It was also one of the reasons why her father had refused his proposal. But to think that he actually came barging into the palace and wrecking everything up, not to mention murdering both the warlord and his wife…As rumored, this man was certainly the worst._

_Smiling softly, he laid the bloodied sword on the ground. The man placed his right hand -stained in blood- on Maki's cheek, while his other slowly made its way down to her thighs, sneakily going under the yukata she donned. Maki bit on her lips and forced back a startled gasp upon feeling the sensation of the man dragging his nails down her inner thigh. Cold, unpleasant chills ran down the princess' spine while panic started to rise within her._

_"This yukata is getting in the way, isn't it?"_

_"W-Wait…! No…!"_

_What Maki desired the most at the moment, was to push the man away and escape this suffocating cage. However, she seemed frozen in place; her whole body was sweating, shaking and tingling uncontrollably. The throbbing wound he'd inflicted on her wasn't helping in the slightest either. It only doubled the weight that prevented Maki from escaping, aside from the man's pressuring burden as he pinned himself on top of her._

_His straying hand reached for the collar of her clothing and teasingly gave it a slight tug. The man's heavy breaths blew on Maki's cheek hotly, making her twitch. It was a sure sign that he was getting both excited, and lustful._

_"No…I…T-This can't be happening…!" The princess' voice was shaking, and she felt her body stiffening up in preparation for whatever was in store for her._

_"You are getting excited yourself, aren't you? It's fine, I understand." The man smiled again, friendly, open and…compassionately. "Relax and enjoy. Since this is your first time, I'll be extra gentle…" He whispered into her right ear, blowing hot breaths into it before giving her earlobe a quick lick. Maki shuddered disgustedly at the spine-chilling sensation and closed her eyes tightly, not wanting to witness how things were to advance from now._

_No…I can't just can't…Someone…Anyone…Help me…!_

_Slam! Thud!_

_And all of a sudden, the man above her heaved a soft grunt. His pupils widened in shock, his body started to wobble unbalanced on top of Maki. Surprised, the princess snapped her teary eyes open, just in time to see her would-be-rapist falling onto the ground beside her. With the man's gray irises rolled to the back of his head, he was clearly knocked out, with his drool sticking sickeningly at the corner of his mouth._

_Maki's heart skipped a beat at the scene. She trembled, the pain in her shoulder had finally settled to a constant throbbing, as opposed to the earlier numb tingling. The princess was now freed of the sadistic man's clutches temporarily, but exactly who on earth had saved her?_

_Maki darted her eyes to the side, and saw an overturned wooden chair lying on the floor. The tip of one of its legs was also almost snapped, forming a sharp wooden splinter that dangled dangerously within the tense atmosphere. Did her rescuer use this to knock the man unconscious? It seemed to be a possibility._

_The young princess then looked up, seeing the face of her rescuer. The person was far younger than she'd anticipated, but that didn't matter now. The two of them were silent as the clock ticked restlessly behind them, indicating how little time they possessed before the man would wake up._

_Tired, but determined crimson red eyes gazed directly into her lilac ones as the girl reached a hand –possibly smaller than Maki's– towards her. The words that flew out of her mouth then did not hold the slightest hint of hesitation._

_"Come on, we have to escape from this castle now!"_

* * *

It would be a lie if Maki claimed that she wasn't stunned at the sudden twist of events. Up until a few minutes ago, the princess had felt as if her entire world was on the verge of collapsing all around her, and she would be ensnared in the evil clutches of her would-be-fiancé. The strong wind picked up its pace as she ended her recollections. She shivered a bit and hugged the cloak around her tighter.

One would say it was an unpleasant feeling, with the icy cold wind prickling your bare skin. However, she instead felt relief upon feeling the chilly wind course through her face, body and hair locks. The sensation itself served as a reminder to the young princess' escape and survival. She was finally freed.

And the person, who released Maki from her 16 years of imprisoned life in the castle, was just sitting opposite her. The girl who she guessed was younger than her seemed normal enough. She also wore a plain white hamaka with the long sleeves dangling at her sides. Servants who worked and lived within the castle's limits were required to wear the white robe with a bottom resembling a kimono. From outward appearances the girl looked normal, as expected of a commoner, and Maki was thankful for that. However, something about the girl still bothered her…

It was then the princess allowed her eyes to settle back on the girl's face. She felt her cheeks heat up as she noticed the girl looking straight at her. Her previous bleak and grave facial expression had faded, replaced by a slightly irritated and confused frown.

Nico's frown inched deeper as lilac eyes darted away. Did the princess just look at her? Another brief glance of the girl's flushed face was what confirmed her suspicion. The girl reluctantly averted her crimson gaze down to her white hamaka and started to wonder if something was amiss.

"…You. Why did you save me?"

The princess's smooth, commanding voice held no emotion within them. The flush on her cheeks had disappeared, fading as fast as it'd appeared. Another strong gust of wind swiped through between the two, while sparks of the crackling fire danced across Maki's unblinking, lavender eyes.

Nico resisted a small shiver, from a source other than the chilly weather that they were enveloped in. How on earth was she supposed to answer? The unexpected question Maki had demanded to know left Nico in a speechless void. Her once clear mind had become faint and muddled, with every incident happened thus far taking quite a big toll on her brain.

Still, she managed to brace herself under the princess' sharp, penetrating gaze. The question itself was simple, obvious even. And it was as clear as day to Nico that she only had one sole answer to it.

"How could I just look away when yo- …Nishikino-s-sama is in trouble?" The words rolled awkwardly off Nico's tongue, as she silently cursed herself for almost expressing her disrespect and ignorance to the princess.

It was a traditional custom for commoners not born of nobility or high-ranking to respect and abide the royal family, portraying them as esteemed people by adding the words '-sama' or '-dono' behind names. Nico in return, however, could not care less about that. She worked as a lowly servant in the castle and catching the briefest glimpse of a royal family member strolling by was considered when pigs fly.

But fate works in a way nobody expects. Not once in her whole lifetime, did Nico ever think that she'd be out here in the wilderness, having a campfire with the rumored princess who was the topic of every servant's conversations in the castle.

Nishikino Maki was not someone able to be seen by everyone's eyes. According to the rumors she heard before, the very little number of servants who ever laid eyes on the princess herself was rendered speechless by her beauty. Maki-hime's flowing hair locks were the color of fiery passion, signifying her fervor for the peculiar western musical instrument, a so-called piano.

It was said to be brought from the western parts of the world to Japan with the utmost amount of gold coins the warlord himself would give. Rumors also had it when the princess played the grand instrument with her skillful fingers, the pair of amethyst eyes which usually showed no emotion would soften up, thus melting and captivating whoever witnessed her performance even once.

However, the princess was now far from how the servants portrayed her in their feverish descriptions. Aside from her stone-carved face that held no emotion, the light green cloak draped around her was badly torn in a few places here and there. A small section of cloth was also stained dark with her overflowing blood that oozed out from the wound.

Though luckily, the bleeding had stopped moments ago, a fact that was supported by the princess' deathly pale face regaining their previous healthy color. If it was possible, Nico would also like to apply some medicine on the gash in hopes of it healing quicker, but she possessed nothing of that sort in her assets.

There was always another option of going around the forest to find some medical herbs, but seeing as it was night time right now, she regretfully decided that it was a risky and dumb action. She'd be long eaten by the ferocious beasts dwelling in the depths of this forest before even finding a sprout.

Maki stayed silent after hearing Nico's answer, her sharp gaze flickering towards the girl every now and then, as if wondering such words were true or not. She couldn't understand the meaning behind her rescuer's brave actions. This girl just seemed so…frail and weak. Maki herself was even surprised at how someone like her would dare to barge into her room, not to mention knocking the son of another warlord out cold. No matter how you look at it, no normal person would have the courage to go between two nobles, let alone hurting one.

If the princess had to say, it was whether the girl possessed real courage or she was just simply too dimwitted to think about the consequences.

"…Anyhow, Nishikino…sama. Is your shoulder any better?" Nico asked, awkwardly shifting her sitting posture under the tense atmosphere. She was also shivering a bit, wearing nothing but the thin piece of white hakama that seemed to barely fit her size. The clothing itself was also torn while a small bloody scar slashed across her right cheek, appearing quite noticeable amidst the pale skin. It was probably initiated from going through the waves of sizzling arrows that were aimed at them when they made their escape.

The princess frowned slightly at the sight before her. A feeling of sympathy then started to rise within Maki, as she reluctantly felt her heart throb with an unfamiliar twinge of aching pain. _'Well...She is the person who saved me from that horrible man. Not to mention helping me to escape and bandaging my injuries. This is possibly as much as I can do...'_

It was a strange feeling, and yet she could state no reasons to deny them. The princess felt as if she had been put under a magical spell, although her mind was as clear as the starry night sky above them. The feeling was itself indescribable.

"Come here."

Thankfully, Maki's tone had not been as stupidly shy and vulnerable as she feared it would be. The beating of her heart started to double while the princess tried to veil her embarrassment by forcefully keeping on a straight face.

Nico, who had been grinning sheepishly and awkwardly until now, looked up at her in utter surprise. "Huh?"

The current blank expression on her face only prompted Maki to flush even hotter. Quietly, she inhaled a soft breath before huffing, impatiently enunciating as if she was talking to a small child.

"I said, come here. It's pathetic to see you shivering and shifting around like that." She quickly added the last sentence, and her expectations were met as the other girl's scowl widened, more in annoyance rather than suspicion.

Nico rolled her eyes, but said nothing in response to the princess' offensive words. She was simply too exhausted to come up with a decent retort. And as if it was mocking Nico for her fragile health, another strong flurry of biting wind blew through them. The eerie bushes and towering trees rustled, releasing the wayward, yellowish leaves to soar wherever they pleased.

"I'm fine this way – a, achoo!"

The princess watched her with a slender brow raised. How could anyone be so ignorant of their own body conditions and health? Maki's father was a man who valued health over wealth. As how he would always tell his daughter, health is wealth. Not to mention getting sick for this period of time would be deadly for them.

"Keep the stubborn composure up and you'll regret it soon." She stated nonchalantly. Her casual tone then took on a more solemn timbre as the princess gestured to the cloak wrapped around her injured, worn-out body. "We are now in a situation much more dangerous as you think."

"The man who you knocked out earlier this afternoon had infiltrated the castle. His target was me, and this kingdom." Maki paused and looked down, her shining eyes flashing a hint of emotion that Nico could not describe in words. It was only a brief moment before the princess lifted her head up again, her face determined, though grave.

"That man would be claiming this land for his own. In order to achieve that goal of his, he'd have to capture and silence me, who knows the naked truth. That being said, there's a high possibility of soldiers being sent out to capture me. It's unfortunate, but you have already been caught up in this as well."

A heavy silence hung above the two girls. Slowly, Nico raised a blank, terrified stare up to Maki-hime's face. The oppressive silence continued as they stared at each other. Suddenly, the black-haired girl began to laugh.

"Oh, Nishikino-s-sama! I didn't know you were such a kidder! You actually had poor Nico frightened for a second there!"

She continued to laugh and ramble on, the sounds becoming gradually forced as she saw the princess looking at her solemnly. Maki's face remained grave and tensed as if she was a surgeon who had failed an important operation, while her passive expression literally spelled out the words 'This is reality. Accept it.'

"...That's…" Nico's ashen face paled even further, if it was possible. She gulped hard, feeling a cold sweat breaking out on her forehead. Her mother and three siblings then flashed across her eyes, their poor, but full of happiness and love daily life reflecting. She could even hear her family's laughter ringing vividly in her ears.

However, it didn't last long. The smiling faces they had on quickly dissolved into horrified, distorted expressions as the cheery laughter turned to shrill shrieks. Blood splashing around, the disturbing red liquid staining her line of sight. And the small house which she lived in for almost 15 years, before going out to make a living was burned down by the hostile soldiers…

"Will…" She swallowed, the insides of her throat dry and hurting. "Will they…come after my family too?"

Maki-hime did not immediately respond. Instead, she lowered her gaze down to the burning fire and pondered carefully over the question asked.

The castle kept records of servants working there for identification and recognition, including their age and hometowns of sort, however, when she considered the slaughter and blood-bath which happened in the castle grounds when soldiers infiltrated, there was no possible way they could identify the dead bodies one by one.

_'…No, the soldiers who chased after us this afternoon saw and recognized my face. They must have seen the other girl's too.'_ The princess instantly felt a dreadful headache coming over to her as she cursed at the realization. The two of them would not have been able to make it out alive, if it wasn't for that person…

"How far is your home town located from here?" Maki asked gingerly. She could clearly tell how the girl cherished and loved her family, judging from her previous reactions. Nico even thought of her family's safety over her own in the first place, which the princess found, somehow ironic. Wasn't she herself in the most hazardous situation?

Nico blinked twice in acknowledgement of what she just asked and stayed silent, for unknown reasons which the princess herself could also not explain. It was seconds after when a soft, awkward whisper touched the open air.

"My hometown's a small village in the west from here. It should at least take …one to two weeks or so to arrive."

"I see. It's actually quite far away." Maki averted her gaze to the side before speaking out. "Then you do not need to worry about your family for the time being. Rather, what I think you should stress over right now is our current condition." And as if emphasizing her words, her right shoulder throbbed, making the princess wince slightly while she placed a hand on it.

Nico raised a brow before standing up. Quietly and swiftly, the older girl made her way to the princess' front and kneeled down, intentionally ignoring her alarmed stutter of 'W-What?'

"Let me see your shoulder." The words came out as a command, soaked with a tint of authority which the red-headed princess could not deny.

"E-Eh? No, I'm fine…" Maki's voice trailed off at the end, only to raise a few more octaves as she realized something amiss. "W-Wait, why are you telling me what to do? And could you not just stand?! This…this position is…"

Even if she was usually calm and nonchalant about almost everything, there're still some things which a sixteen year old teenager girl could not stand or bear. Especially for Maki, who had been restricted in all of her life up until now. Aside from the few trusted servants and generals her parents both confided in, she barely interacted with much outsiders.

Numbness spread throughout her reddened cheeks at the sight of Nico's petite frame crouching before her. And against her wills the other girl's small hand traveled up to touch her injured shoulder that was covered presently. Although the caress was soft and careful itself, Maki couldn't help but flinch. But definitely not from pain.

"Does it hurt?" The person before her asked. Blushing profusely, Maki shook her head in reply and felt her body temperature heating up a few degrees, at how…soft and gentle Nico's tone was. It reminded the princess of her mother. Her heart dropped at the thought.

Nico looked up upon the lack of reply, but soon paused when she saw Maki's reddened cheeks. This stubborn and somehow prideful composure…struck a chord inside of her core. The princess' current look was very much alike to one of her younger twin sisters', Kokoa.

She was the energetic type and tended to hurt herself frequently whenever she played. Nico would always tend her wounds back at their home, the flustered, pouty facial expression Kokoa had was one memory she could never forget. Seeing the cute pout made her more protective of her siblings each time, even going as far as nagging them for every little single thing.

And somehow, this vulnerable princess resembled her two siblings greatly.

"…"

A sudden rush of tender sensations then coursed through her, every fiber of her being overflowing with warmth and unspeakable gentleness. Just now…Did she just have the sudden urge to pat the princess' head and protect her, as how she'd constantly feel around her three siblings? Perplexed, Nico furrowed her brows and shook her head. There was hardly any time for any of these emotional things right now.

So, in an attempt to shake off the fuzzy feeling inside her chest, she spoke up once again.

"This has been bothering me for a while now, but who was that girl that saved us? She seems to know you; I heard her calling your name back then." Though her words were directed at Maki, the girl's eyes instead were focused on her injured shoulder. The bleeding seemed to have fully stopped, but the wound was still in need of medicine… "And I'm sure the our lord will get a search party to look for you when the fuss is over, so what should we do now?"

An uncomfortable pause. There was an oppressive, strangely tensed silence hanging above the girls as the rustling and hooting of creatures around them increased. Nico noted the atmosphere's eccentric change and glanced up, finding the princess' face paling as she chewed on her lower lip.

No sounds were present between the two of them afterwards, except for the occasional rustling of trees and bushes, complemented with the eerie hoots and cries of night creatures dwelling in the forest. Nico frowned. Did she just say something wrong?

After what seemed an eternity, Maki eventually looked up, causing her heart to skip a beat.

The princess' face had paled into a whitish chalk color; her lips quivering like a candle in the wind. The flush that adorned her cheeks were alluring and gave off a vulnerable, weak feeling to the girl. Her whole body trembled, most notably her two hands as they were shaking the most. Nishikino Maki looked about to cry, but was clearly suppressing the emotional feelings that threatened to overcome her.

"…The one who saved us this afternoon… is my friend Rin." She took a short inhalation before continuing on, her soft voice trembling all the same. "She's also my…protector of sort. And, it's impossible to rely on my p-parents for help." Maki's voice choked slightly at the end of her sentence. "The man who you knocked out…h-he k-killed them…my mother...right in front of me…"

"Eh?" A blank expression immediately spread across Nico's face, her mind barely registering the information given. The lord and his wife were murdered? This was just…impossible. However, another glance at the trembling girl was what confirmed her doubts.

For a moment, she didn't know what to say. And that there was nothing she could say, judging from personal experience. All she could do was to keep quiet and gaze silently at Maki, whose eyes were hidden behind her auburn locks.

* * *

_"I am very sorry to say this, but ma'am, your husband had lost his life in the previous battle they were fighting."_

_The fire, for a brief time, seemed to be chilling despite the heat it was radiating. The well-bulked soldier's lips moved as he was telling the dreaded truth, his tonic voice draining itself in ten-year old Nico's ears. Caught in a state of complete disbelief, her wobbling legs almost buckled under her own weight as she watched her mother drop the basket of fruits she was carrying to kneel on the floor, her eyes wide and lifeless while tears started to prickle at the corners._

_"…Onee-sama? What's wrong?"_

_Stunned, Nico quickly snapped her head back and saw Kokoro's sleepy, though worried face through the small door opening. The little girl was rubbing her half-lidded eyes as she asked this, possibly disturbed from her sleep by the slight commotion outside._

_"Nothing, Kokoro, nothing's wrong." Hastily, Nico turned around and smiled, finding her lips twitching as she forcefully kept up her fake grin. In a swift motion, she pushed Kokoro gently into the room they shared and closed the door firmly. The last thing she wanted was to let her two siblings witness the scene she saw just now._

_"…Onee-sama…?" Kokoro whispered confusingly. Her adorable face was already scrunched up in concern, an expression which the young girl rarely made. Gulping, Nico's heart pulsed in guilt and panic, prompting her to avert her eyes to a peacefully sleeping Kokoa, who had her arms thrown out on the futon ungracefully._

_She could not resist the small, genuine smile washing over her at the sight, despite her heavy headache and racing pulse, the thunderous beating ringing continuously in her ears. Slowly, Nico walked past Kokoro and stopped in front of her other sleeping sibling. She carefully untangled the sheets wrapping around her small frame and pulled the covers up._

_After making sure Kokoa was fully covered, Nico turned around to soothe wrinkled futon where Kokoro sleeps, located just beside her twin sister. While she ran her hand across the smooth fabric of the blanket, the older girl felt herself calming down, whether it was merely her imagination or not._

_"Onee-sama…"_

_"Everything's fine. Now, be a good girl and go to sleep, Kokoro."_

_The little girl opened her mouth to protest, but soon paused as she noticed the smile Nico was giving her. The smile itself was not natural, seemingly forced…strained even. And mixed within the usual sweet voice contained hints of weariness, slight plea and unshakeable authority._

_"…Yes."_

_And as Nico gave Kokoro's head one last pat before facing the other way silently, all the young child could do was to stand there, wondering why did her usually cheerful, beloved sister had tears streaming down her cheeks._

* * *

Nico instantly felt a pang of sympathy and relation smack her at the recollection, her heart oddly throbbing as she stood up slowly, mind in a daze. The black-haired girl felt she'd been trapped in a vortex of swirling emotions, wanting nothing more than to comfort and reassure the young princess before her.

The insides of her throat hurt as she swallowed, wondering if such actions were tolerable. However, it was also unbearable to see the princess in a despairing state, who lost her parents, home and possibly a friend in one day. Nico knew the feelings of losing a loved one and would surely not experience it ever again.

Without much of a thought or consideration, she reached out for the trembling princess' shoulders, wrapping her arms around them gingerly. The movement had been as gentle as a feather-stroke in prevention of straining her shoulder. In her hold, Nico could clearly feel the person herself stiffening, her body going rigid as if this was the first time she'd ever came in physical contract with another human being.

"It's okay to cry, you know."

She couldn't see the princess's current expression, but her entire body had began to still at the simplistic words.

"...What?"

"You know what I mean." Nico replied gingerly. Strands of ticklish red hair brushed through her two arms while a floral-scented fragrance enveloped the two girls. They remained in the position for much longer than how the older girl anticipated at first, as a part of her thought she would be pushed away the second she landed a fingertip on the princess.

"I...No..." Maki began to lash out, her choking voice raising an octave higher and higher each time she screamed. "No! I don't get your meaning! I don't - I don't...!" While the princess' rant continued on, she had pushed Nico off of her roughly and started to cry. Maki buried her face into her hands and sobbed furiously, as recollections of what had happened this dreaded afternoon came rushing back into her mind.

* * *

_"M-Mother...? What happened, you are covered in blood..."_

_"Run, Maki! Your father... h-he's been killed by that good for nothing man...! AAH!"_

_"...! Mother...!"_

_Thud! Slam!_

_The older woman's limp body fell onto the floor dramatically, like a puppet without its strings. Blood splattered all over the hallway, a crimson so dark that it soon spread to cover far too much of her mother's side. The wound was indistinguishable. Maki couldn't tell it was a cut or a deep gash._

_Baffled at the sudden turn of events, she could barely make a sound when she finally wheezed a raspy gasp at the sight of a man grinning sinisterly before her. He held a bloodied sword, while patches of dried blood coated his cheek, hands and clothes._

* * *

"I don't get your meaning at all! I...I don't...!" Fiery red locks swayed back and forth, her arms lashing out wildly, which Nico caught them by her wrists. She was caught off-guard by the princess' sudden outburst, but half expected it. For a girl as young as sixteen years old, it'd be normal and understandable for her to break down after witnessing her parents' death. Even if Maki acted unruffled about it at first, she was surely trying her hardest not to remind herself and recall their final moments.

"It's you who doesn't understand anything! You don't you don't-" Nico watched as fresh sets of crystal-clear water streamed down Maki's face. She tried to shun them away from staining her pride, but her tears increased just as fast as she'd wiped them away.

Nico let go of the young girl's wrists and embraced her once again. This time she made no effort to struggle or squirm out of her hold, instead gripping the back of her clothing tightly while the princess sobbed gently on her shoulder.

_'She's still a kid at heart, after all.'_ The black-haired girl smiled weakly, her expression turning into a soft one as she felt her right shoulder turning into a soaking mess. _'Well, it can't but helped. Nico is older after all.'_ Nico thought absentmindedly. She placed the tip of her chin on the princess' head, smiling faintly. Embracing Maki like this reminded Nico of how she used to hug her three adorable siblings, and at the exact moment, she felt as if Maki was her little sister.

Not the princess of this kingdom, the daughter of the mighty warlord, but Nishikino Maki. It was as easy as that.

A part of her then reminded Nico things weren't so simple as she thought, but she chose to ignore it.

Under the orbiting, distant moon. Within the watchful, silent sentinel of groves. Two lone people were locked in a comforting embrace. Bestowed upon them was the dim glow of the eerie, blood-red harvest moon of autumn.

**\- End of Chapter 1-The Curtains Arise -**

* * *

Note: To those who are following my other fanfics, please go to my profile to view the details. Thank you in advance!


	2. Her Determination, Her Despair

**Chapter 2 - Her Determination, Her Despair****  
**

Outside the window, burning leaves as if set aflame fell continuously from the sky. Each was so delicate and unique colored, but if you were to touch them, the coarse, uneven surface would feel unpleasant against the brush of your fingertips. Above, a gibbous moon had hung itself over the black velvet canopy. Even the surrounding clouds, smeared with dark grey smug, were dyed faintly of silvery white. So unnatural and cold, it was almost paranormal. The longer she continued to stare at the moon; the insecure and uneasiness within her had begun to rise till her palms started sweating. However, she just couldn't simply tear her eyes away either. It was as if she'd been pulled in by a strange magnetic force, coming by the ghostlike moon itself.

"Eli-chi."

A short puzzled blink, snapping her all out of the deep-absorbed thoughts. She could hear the fusuma door opening gently as someone stepped into the room. She turned from the gaping window and closed her eyes, rubbing them. Normally, she wouldn't be this unguarded, but considering her relationship with the person who now stood motionlessly by the door, it was fine.

Once her vision had cleared, Eli couldn't help but crack out a small smile at her visitor's appearance. "Nozomi." She could feel her furrowed eyebrows untying themselves, as the dread dwelling inside her slowly faded. "So, how did it go?"

What she received was silence. Nozomi glanced at Eli and looked quietly back to the red-carpeted hallways where she came from. Scrutinizing emerald eyes darted around the crimson stone pillars that kept this part of the castle standing before slowly averting back. Not even a single soul was currently present, as the lower servants had been dismissed. The upper maids and generals were given the call to rest for the night as well. However, she couldn't afford to take the risk. With another fleetingly quick glimpse behind her back, Nozomi slipped into the room and slid the door closed.

"You act as if there could be someone spying on us." The princess standing by the window commented, smiling bitterly.

"Can't be more careful, Eli-chi." Nozomi cheerfully replied. The vigilance in her grinning turquoise eyes had vanished, replaced by a slightly mischievous look. "I have just received the latest information in regarding the incident days ago." The lighthearted humor was still present, but it'd been covered a fraction half by the seriousness in Nozomi's tune.

Eli's soft smile faded into a thin, solemn line at the reminder. She shifted her hands that had been hidden inside her sleeves and wrapped them around her chest. It was about time. She waited long enough for the truth to reveal itself. "Speak away."

Nozomi went through the details ingrained deep inside her mind once again at Eli's command. She cleared her throat before speaking, repeating the info that she'd heard over and over again while strolling around town. "Words have got that the Nishikino family had fallen at the east border, where their ruling country is. Both the lord and his wife were announced to be murdered by hostile invaders of the castle while the princess disappeared." It was apparent as the recent incident that happened a few days ago had became another hot topic for the villagers to gossip about.

"Even though the castle hasn't been struck down, everything inside was rumored to be destroyed. And Naraku, the son of another warlord in the east border as well, was said to be first one in discovering the castle's attack when he went to visit the Nishikino family. That was what we'd been told, wasn't it?"

Eli nodded quietly. The bleak soberness smeared across her pale face had now washed out into slight sadness upon her friend's words. "…Yes. That was what the official announcement said. And?"

"Well, I have proven that your predictions were right after all." Breaking off abruptly, Nozomi turned to face the wooden mahogany table behind. She took a scroll out from underneath her long sleeve and proceeded to roll it open onto the table. The whole page of the opened scroll was scribbled full in messy, inked words. Whoever wrote this must have been in an awful hurry.

"Nozomi?" The confusion on Eli's face was apparent as she neared the table herself curiously. She ran her restless gaze over the sallow surface for a few seconds, before arching an eyebrow at how muddled and chaotic the small katakana words looked. "A…written scroll? Nozomi, what on earth is this?" She asked.

"This is, Eli-chi," Nozomi lifted a hand from her lengthy kimono sleeve and pointed towards a jumbled kaji. "A report from the spy we sent to observe Naraku-san and his father's country. He was one of the undercover soldiers who managed to get into the army and was happened to be called when they planned the attack." She ran her index finger over the smooth paper, explaining calmly, "In other words, he was also the one who witnessed the whole progress. This is the full report of what had _truly_ happened in the Nishikino castle."

As soon as Nozomi ended her words, she'd sensitively caught the slightest wind of Eli's startled gasp resounding through the open air. A quiet chuckle issued forth from her lips at the hushed, airy sound. How long had it been since the last time her self-possessed princess was stunned speechless? But, either could Nozomi blame her; she'd also been at a loss of words when the report first arrived in her hands. It was mind-boggling to actually think that the whole incident, _truth_ had been recorded in the scroll.

The next few moments faded away in utter silence. While Eli tried to take in the astonishing news with her sensible mind and rational thinking, Nozomi had waited patiently, knowing that it'd be better to let the blonde contemplate over things carefully. After all, no amount of interpretation would get to the surprisingly stubborn Eli, if she hadn't thought the matters through herself.

"Could this scroll…be trusted at all?" Doubt and uncertainty soaked deep through her soft voice. "What if someone feigned it? You said this was a report from our soldiers, Nozomi, we are currently miles away from the east border! How could this scroll even…" Her voice trailed off reluctantly.

Every nerve in Eli's body was screaming at her to desist from further thinking and believe what was written in the scroll, but her sensible side warned otherwise. She could feel her nerves tingling while the bottomless pits in her stomach deepened.

Maki, the current princess of the fallen Nishikino family was a friend to her. The same also goes for her other friend, namely Yazawa Nico. The two of them were both dear friends to her, and now, one had disappeared without a trance, with the other death or alive remaining unknown.

The light-headed feeling of her mind buzzing with raucous bees was what she felt when the news first came. She was surprised, shocked even, and all of the waiting for news update the past days had resulted in dark circles forming under her eyes. It was a sign in lack of both sleep and rest. Eli could not take this more seriously. It was a matter of her friends' life and death.

A warm hand grasped over hers. "Eli-chi." She cringed at the sudden physical contract, but gradually started to relax as the other woman tightened her hold. Nozomi's voice was calm, quiet and comforting. It served as a soothing effect to her jumbled emotions and not long, she'd found herself completely calmed down to regain her senses.

"…Thank you, Nozomi." Eli spoke softly; she ran an unoccupied hand over her temple and sighed. "Looks like I need to work more on controlling my emotions."

Grinning, Nozomi gave her hand a slight squeeze before moving up to pet Eli's head. This was one of her few method to comfort the princess whenever she was upset or stressed out. It was also because she didn't have any chocolate with her today. Everyone in the castle knew Eli had a sweet tooth for confectionery, especially chocolate.

"Don't mention it, Eli-chi." Nozomi said optimistically. The velvety sensation of her fingers brushing around glossy flaxen hair strands was what she could not get enough. However, there were far more vital things for them to discuss right now. She withdrew her hand at the thought and then shaped her face into a more somber feature. "Let's turn back to our original topic. This report is indeed real; I can at least guarantee you that."

"…I see…" Eli mumbled. She re-traced her view of judgment and hurled a short glance towards Nozomi, asking, "But I have a question. Like I mentioned before, the east border is miles away from here, so how did they deliver the scroll to our castle in a so fast-paced manner…?"

Nozomi hummed in acknowledgement and slipped a hand into her left sleeve. After a few brief seconds, she retrieved out another scroll. It was more antique compared to the previous one, and had a hint of foxing towards the edges of the paper. A weak air scented musty smell touched their nostrils as she scrolled it open.

"Listen carefully, Eli-chi. This is a map of our region." Nozomi's fingers trailed over the faint ink markings with light touches before drawing away all together. "And this is where we are, the west. Like you said, it'd be prominently a few good miles to the east border, which is basically the other side of this region. But, if was an emergency, what methods should we use in covering across the distance we shared?"

Eli eyed her curiously for a moment, before averting her sapphire gaze back towards the old map. There were horses, but they couldn't possibly cover the long distance in less than a week. Plus, the obstacles of having to cross mountains and rivers would only prevent them from getting here sooner. "…Are there other methods, other than riding horses or carriages?"

Nozomi chuckled. "Of course there is, Eli-chi." She pointed a fingertip towards the east border on the map before dragging her index finger to the right, where a group of mountains lay. "From the east border to these mountains, also known as your country's territory; they have already crossed half of the region. It'll take around at least four days to arrive with horses, including the resting and water break. Then, if they used the road which your father ordered to open, they can stop there, on top of the mountain." She gave the inked mountain markings a small tap.

"Wait…" Eli squinted her eyes at where Nozomi's finger was. She recognized those mountains. "Wasn't this place where the mining caves were discovered? There would even be people working atop of there right now, if I remembered correctly."

"That's right, Eli-chi!" Nozomi looked impressively at the blonde princess behind her. Eli was starting to catch on, but she still looked like there were some unanswered questions within her mind. "These mountains were our country's property to begin with, and it was not deserted. So, why do you think that I had given special orders to the soldiers there in keeping an eye of any outsiders?"

Eli thought about it for a moment and moved closer to the table. She stared at the map, "Because…the outsiders might have been the spies who the country sent out?"

"Yes." Nozomi nodded. "In complement of the recent warnings about Naraku-san and his ruling father, we have had soldiers infiltrating their country's military and politics affairs in observing what they were planning to do. The soldiers would write their report in scrolls before going out to meet with the others, who we ordered to fake their identities as normal villages. This happens once a month in a scheduled time and place."

"Then, after receiving the scrolls containing the monthly report, the ones dressed up as villagers would have to get on horses and embark on a journey to the mining mountains. There's also a security check at the mountain entrance so they must deliver the scrolls themselves. Whether the soldiers could send the scroll to us depends on their possession of a secret code. Meanwhile, some of them are well-acquainted with each other so classifying the soldiers was easy."

"After ensuring their identities, the scroll would be passed down to the last person. He is the one in charge of making sure the report gets sent." Nozomi then quieted down briefly, allowing herself to catch a short breath. This was why she often hated to discuss politics and their standard ways of getting information. It'd take time for people to get into the idea while trying to sound full-detailed.

Next to her, Eli had fallen to silence. Her eyebrows were furrowed as she propped the tip of her chin with a thumb, trying hard to digest and take in what she just heard. "…I have a question, though, Nozomi."

"Yes?"

"I basically get the whole concept. But what I'm now confused about is, how _exactly_ does the last person get the scroll sent here? Because even if they had crossed half of the gap we shared just by being in the mountains, it would take one day around or so of riding on a horse to actually arrive at the castle. And this scroll…" She flicked a glance towards the whole folio of messy scribbles. "Arrived just at the extent of four and a half days. Why is that?"

"Because they stopped on the mountains. No one made any more progress in moving forward after they received the scroll." Nozomi answered calmly. She resisted her urge to chuckle at the sight of Eli's confused face being directed at her and continued. "And this leads back to your first question, Eli-chi. How did they deliver the scroll to our castle in a so fast-paced manner? Well, let me ask you a question. Are you possibly aware of a flying beast called Svifa?"

Eli blinked. "The eagle-class type of bird beast, which its flying speed could match up to a cheetah's…Svifa?" It was one of the many large heavy-beaked, big-rooted birds. Moreover, this type would appear stronger and faster when in compare to the other species of birds. The first time she gained knowledge of it was when a soldier had successfully tamed one. "Wait, so you mean that…"

"That's right. With Annie's tremendous flying speed, it was actually her that brings the scroll to us." Nozomi purposely ignored Eli's soft mutter of '…Annie? So the beast is a female…?' while carefully rolling up the thin piece of map she'd taken out. "She may look intimating at first, but if you give her food like nuts or insects to feast on, Annie will open up to you in no time." Placing the scroll of map aside, Nozomi concluded merrily.

"I-I see." A tiny sweat drop decorated the side of Eli's head as she laughed dryly. For some reasons, she now couldn't help but wondered if the flying beast Annie was tamed just because the soldier had presented it with food…How gluttonous could it be? "Putting that sideways, have you read the scroll already, Nozomi?"

To her non-surprise, she nodded. Nozomi's deep turquoise eyes lit up in slight mischievousness as the corners of her mouth turned, the dimples in her cheeks appearing while her whole face showed amusement of the moment. "Of course, I had to make sure if it was evident enough before being able to represent it to my dear Eli-chi~"

"N-Nozomi!"

"Eheheh~ I'd suggest you to read it by yourself, Eli-chi. But first…" Nozomi stopped grinning. She glanced around the dimly-lighted room and frowned, disapprovingly. The princess had only one lantern lighted. "Why is it so dark in here?"

"I was watching the moon…" Eli paused to look at her friend lightening up an oil lamp on the table. It'd been a small gift from her father, and she absolutely loved the design. As the small flame continued to quiver, it bathed the whole room in a soft glow and drew shadows everywhere.

Nozomi carefully carried it away from the scroll, replacing the candle right next to a pot of Shakan bonsai. Faint lights glowed in the room as Eli stepped forward to get a closer look of the scroll. "The soldier who wrote this must be in an awful hurry…" She commented, arching a slender brow. She then reached out gingerly for the scroll at Nozomi's gesture and narrowed her eyes at it. "You can barely make out the words…"

"Then shall I summarize it for you?" Nozomi suggested. "I have already read through it, and in my opinion, you could not afford to wait any longer in knowing what happened Maki-chan and Nico-chi, isn't that right?"

Eli was giving her the startled look again. "…Nico was really involved in this incident then?" She unconsciously tightened her grip on the scroll upon seeing Nozomi nod. She prayed before, for a small miracle, that somehow Nico would have been out of the castle as the attack happened. The girl had been through so much already, and yet…Her face darkened at the thought of her two friends falling into misfortune. "Out of all the people I know, it'd just have to be them..."

"Everything's still not over, Eli-chi."

When Eli turned, she saw nothing but a look of steel on Nozomi's unsmiling face. It easily shattered the fragile composure she retained. "I…I know." Despite the circumstances Eli found it difficult to wrap her mind around what was happening. She inhaled sharply before speaking, "Let's hear it. Tell me what you have read about, Nozomi."

"Certainly." The turquoise-eyed girl's eyes softened. "This is a planned attack where Naraku Yamamoto wanted to take over the country. Not only was the land rich in crops and all types of herbs, the people living there are also quite knowledgeable in medication. My guess is that when he failed to receive the princess, Maki-chan's hand in marriage, he changed methods in obtaining the country by using brutal force and gunfire."

"Then, after the damaged had been done, he would just have to modify _and_ sugarcoat the official news that was going to be announced in public. Am I right?" Eli laughed, a low bitter sound. "It's so predictable."

"Yes, it is predictable." Nozomi replied, every syllable rolling off of her tongue slowly . "But the unpredictable did happen. Even if we have no clue on what happened in the process, but the princess, Maki-chan had somehow managed to escape from the confusion and meet up with Nico-chi. I doubt they knew each other, but it could be means of survival as well. Then, with help from a young knight," She paused, adding an edgy effect to what she was about to say. "They escaped. However, this report wrote that the knight, Rin-chan was instead captured." Her mind then raced with possible scenarios of what could have happened to them afterwards, but Nozomi quickly abstained herself from thinking further.

Eli's eyebrows quickly drew together as she chewed onto her lip. "...With how abruptly those two escaped, who knows how long could Maki and Nico last?" Her face looked pinched, her once clear sapphire eyes now glossy. Eli was only eighteen, but her emotions hinted that she'd been around for a long time. "And for Rin...What will they do to young girl like her? Father said we should stay down and be quiet for now, but I…!"

"This is no time for negative thoughts, Eli-chi." Nozomi circled around the table to stop in front of her. And before Eli could even react, she'd already been pulled into a pair of tight, but comfortingly warm arms.

"Ah…"

Her friend's voice, soft and sleek, met Eli's ears as she continued to hold her. "…Don't get me wrong, Eli-chi. I'm also very worried for them, especially Nico-chi since… you know; she's always so weak and frail…" Nozomi's voice quivered and choked at the end of the sentence. "But, we can't afford to surrender here. Maki-chan isn't weak, and either is Nico-chi. They are both so stubborn, aren't they…?"

The person in her arms said nothing. For the first in days, Nozomi finally showed her uneasiness and discomfort towards the incident. Now, they were equal. Shaken up and scared of losing the people they cared for. Just the mere thought could make her stomach plummet downwards and send a jolt of panic rifling through her entire body. But, during times like these Eli was taught to calm down and never panic. Losing your composure and rational thinking was regarded as a sign of weakness. She took the fact to heart, and yet…

However, Nozomi was different.

"…I'm sorry." Eli amended softly. She lifted a hand up rub her back in slow, comforting circles. The grip around her shoulders tightened as Nozomi leaned closer. Eli took the chance to bury her head into the pale neck, muttering, "What should I do without you, Nozomi?"

Nozomi tenderly smiled with a faint blush painting her cheeks. It was quite a waste for the blonde not being able to see it. "I will be always by your side, Eli-chi." Her voice had been calmer now as she relaxed at the feel of hot breath against her neck.

"…Nozomi, you are right. I can't afford to surrender and give up here." Pulling herself away from the other girl, the look in Eli's eyes had changed as she held her shoulders. "So…will you listen to what I'm going to say? Even if it's…the wrong choice?"

Nozomi stared at the blonde, studying her for a moment. Satisfied with what she'd assessed in such a simple stare, she relaxed and backed a few steps. Nozomi's tensed body went slacked as she looked at Eli once again. "I believe you, Eli-chi." The earnestness of her statement brought a small smile to the blonde's determined face. There was no doubt filtered throughout her words, except for blatant honesty.

"Thank you." Eli answered softly, drawing back her hands and folding them. She took a long, deep breath before opening her mouth to speak, "Even though Father restrained us from making any moves for the time being, I couldn't just stay put and be quiet, despite anything he said."

Nozomi secretly noted the eccentric change in her aura. The unsettled feeling around her previously had now faded into absolute nothingness and was replaced by her usual respectable demeanor. "So, what are you going to do, Eli-chi?" She couldn't help but grin as she asked this.

With the gray haze smearing her mind now cleared, Eli was smiling in confidence again. "Isn't it obvious?" Her sapphire eyes, which beamed with self-confidence, seemed to sparkle at the reply. Every nerve was on alert as if Eli's brain had just been rebooted. All of a sudden, she was aware of what actions to take. "Nozomi, please help me to contract _that_ person."

"For what reasons?" Nozomi asked, playfully arching an eyebrow at the princess. Although her voice conveyed innocent and slight puzzlement, the knowing glint in her deep turquoise eyes would have said otherwise.

"Prepare a search party for the princess and a friend." Eli answered without missing even a beat. "Even if we can't pinpoint their locations, there's still a limit to how two people could cover the roads in just four days. They mustn't have gone far."

Nozomi was practically beaming with the reply. She watched as Eli deflate slightly at how it was not going to be easy in finding them, but the determination still burned within her light navy eyes. If the princess settles her mind on accomplishing something, then she'll surely see it through the very end. Nozomi always had the impression she was not going to be defeated so easily, or lose.

"Then how do you plan to speak to your father… the lord about this?"

Eli only smiled, "I will surely convince him to approve of my decision."

Nozomi answered back with a smile of her own. "I see. Then, I should probably go prepare the message for your request. Don't stay up too late, Eli-chi." She smirked at the blonde before turning away. "After all, my sixth sense tells me we both are going to be very, _very_ busy from here on."

Eli winked in reply. "I appreciate your concern, Nozomi." She then instinctively turned and found out that the scroll scribbled in messy words still remained one piece on her table. A look of understanding showed on her face. She knew Nozomi had purposely left this behind so she could read and interpret the whole scroll to her heart's content without even being disturbed. Because never in a thousand years would Nozomi ever forget something this important.

"Anytime, Eli-chi."

Nozomi gave her a small wave before leaving the room. As the fusuma door gently slid closed behind her, she turned, and slowly disappeared into darkness of the castle's hallways.

After her friend left, carefully Eli stretched, grimacing when her shoulders ached with faint pain. Was this the after-effects of reading politic reports for too long? Well, it didn't really matter anyway. The glowing of candle lights drew shadows around her as the blonde slowly walked towards the window.

The view had been exactly the same as she saw previously, but instead of experiencing the same restlessness with heart-throbbing aches as earlier, Eli now felt calmer and at peace. Also, she'd not noticed it until now, but the occasional hoot of a hidden owl was the only sound audible to permeate the silence. Strangely though, she didn't mind it at all. The rhythmical hoots appeared welcoming in the sheer silence.

Eli crooked her head to a side as she supported her cheek with one hand. A canopy of luminous stars materialized amongst the vast expanse of jet-black that engulfed her father's town. Some were dull, merely flickering into existence every now and then, but there was an adequate amount of shimmering stars to illuminate the night.

Humming, she then idly wondered if those two were looking up at the sky presently as well. Eli's eyes narrowed at the thought, her fists curling.

_'I'll definitely find you. So wherever you two are right now, please hang on there. Nico, Maki.'_

* * *

A traditional Japanese house, built by strong wooden columns on top of a flat foundation packed with stones and packed earth, was set in a small clearing of the southwest.

Smoke meandered whimsically up the clear blue sky as beams of sunlight filtered through crisp yellowed leaves. The forest was ominously quiet, for long hours no creatures dared to disrupt the silence. Wood smoke with a lingering scent of fresh pine circulated through the thick autumn air while the myriad of fluttering leaves that danced in the high boughs, now fell and gathered around the deep eaves of the house, making a living roof above them.

Somewhere between rooms of this fairly large housing, rice paper windows glowed while being streamed with morning sunbeams. Dark wooden floor and walls gave off a stark contrast to the light as soft footsteps stride across the teak floorboards. The whole room was soaked in silence, sounds from outside were inaudible.

Her golden eyes never left her target, even as she reached back to grab an arrow from her quiver. She quietly calculated and took note of what could interfere with her hit. Everything in this dojo stilled while she started to nock the arrow, its flight path already a see-through in her intensely focused mind.

Unflinchingly, she pulled the string back, all the way past her ear, and let the tension pour into the arrow. There was not even a hint of hesitation in her swift movements as she released. The string snapped; a brittle, crisp sound resonating as her arrow whizzed forward. It sliced through the air in rapid speed before thrusting itself into the ring target.

_Tud!_

She lowered the bow to her side, eyes squinting passively towards the target ring. Once again, she'd failed to strike center. A oft sigh issued forth from her lips as she turned to place her bow away. Out of the ten times she had shoot for these past days, only five to six hits would have struck center. She was well aware of her severe lack in concentration lately, without even having her own father to point it out. Moreover, frequent meditation practices didn't even help in altering her focus for any better, no matter how much she tried.

This was indeed an unusual case for the daughter of a well-know, retired general, but with the recent incident that had all countries available bustling in concern and trepidation, everyone in the house was more than bright enough to keep quiet and let her soak in hours of solitude. Especially when the princess mentioned was actually in good ties with her. Furthermore, she had also been talking less after coming back from a failed elimination mission, to which nobody could comment. No one wanted to provoke and face the young lady's fearful wrath by spreading baseless rumors within her earshot.

Sounds of thudding footsteps against the teak parquet soon made into her sensitive ears. She could feel a soundless presence behind her as the person eventually spoke. "Umi-dono."

"Yes?" She answered without turning to look, instead removing her glove and placing it on a Japanese low table behind. Umi tugged at her hair pins before completely pulling them away. Long, deep ocean blue tresses fell and shimmered slightly under the broad daylights as she ran a hand through her hair in attempt of soothing them. "Is there anything wrong?"

"A message came for you."

Umi visibly paused. She stopped her movements and turned to raise an eyebrow at the maid, wordlessly questioning her.

"It is from one of the three generals, Nozomi Tojou-sama. She personally asked for a meeting within this week and that we must notify you of this immediately." The monotone and blank expression had effectively washed off any possible lies in her words. "This was said to be an emergency. Regarding the recent…" She hesitated briefly, "…incident."

"…I see." Umi accepted the maid's words with a small nod. She barely paid attention to the slight nervous she showed, already knowing that almost every servant working here was anxious of her.

The few next minutes passed in quiet, the early morning moving along in peace. Truthfully, Umi didn't know how to feel or act about the current circumstances, but if Nozomi personally requested in seeing her, then surely it was under the order of Eli's. It seemed like the blond princess finally attempted to make a move after days of endlessly waiting.

It was a rather hard task in determining how exactly she planned to act from now onwards, but the blue-haired girl resolved herself in doing whatever Eli ordered her to do. Umi then closed her eyes and tried to block out any disrupting views she'd thought of. However, she just couldn't dismiss the unpleasant feeling bubbling within her so easily. The Sonoda family specializes in military power and is rarely involved with political affairs of the country, unless the situation calls for it.

"…Inform me when it's time to depart. You may go now."

"Yes, Umi-dono."

Golden eyes darted to the side as she watched the maid exiting. For a moment Umi thought about going back to archery practice, but she decided to abstain from doing any for the time being. All she needed now is rest and a state clear of mind.

Settling herself beside the low table, Umi took in a deep inhale, breathing out. Her knees pressed firmly against the floor as she sat there. Slight uneasiness gripped at her as the word 'war' raced across her mind. To some people, the chances of a war occurring were slim, but her father had said otherwise.

Even if he retired from the battlefields long ago, the current head of the Sonoda family was an experienced former general who fought many battles ever since his early twenties. He also served a warlord and was greatly trusted before withdrawing from the general position. To Umi, her father was a highly respectable and high-regarded individual. His words were to be trusted and considered of.

_'In time of peace is to prepare for war. I have nothing to offer the country when I was a young man, but only my blood, toil, tears and sweat. However, times had changed now, Umi. Every woman has infinite potential to achieve what she wants, and your decreased mother was a perfect example. As the saying goes, you can tell the strength of a nation by the women behind its men. That's why I chose her. ' _

She never saw the soft look on her father's face before and she'd to admit she rather liked it. Without thinking much, Umi stood up and walked out of the room. Soft footsteps thudded against the wooden hallways as she silently trudged on, trying to stay quiet. She was headed to the house's lower basement.

There would be bound to be weapons there. Even if her father wasn't a general anymore, Umi was aware that he'd a few stored away in keepsake.

The pointed, keen blade describing a graceful arc of glinting steel juxtaposed against the solid carved grip made her instinctively desire to test its weight in her hand. Umi's fingers closed around the hilt easily, as if it had been made solely for her. The wakizashi's design was simple, and yet fear struck in her heart.

A small dagger lay motionlessly in her hands, surrounded by shattered debris and wreckage. The tarnished and glinting edge of the blade gleamed, restlessly enticing someone to use it. A loud, terrified girlish shriek was on the verge in piercing through her eardrums as strands of ginger hair fell back unceremoniously. There was then a hollow thud. And in amidst of the swinging light, she saw blood trails dripping from the blade to her two hands.

Dreaded memories came rushing back to Umi as everything seemed drained of its colour. The light exhaustion she felt had now faded, an odd stinginess seeping into her eyes and drawing her awaking attention. She blinked once more but froze when something wet rolled down her cheeks, staining the shiny blade in process. The stinginess grew while her vision blurred, and Umi knew just what it was.

Tremblingly, she placed the weapon down and buried her face into her hands. Those were tears staining the blade and Umi forced herself to swallow back her own. The realization why she had stopped handling weapons a while ago came biting back at her and it hurt so, so much. How foolish was she to think that she'd actually moved on from those days?

But she could not allow her father or servants to know about any ounce of what really happened back then; they had been worried about her long enough. Umi would stay here and eventually inherit the older man's title as family head, like how everyone living here wished for.

This is was her only place to call home. She'd nowhere else to return.

Although she had one before, a comforting place with wonderful friends to go back to, it was all gone now. Umi ended it and was destined to bear the painful consequences, all originally initiated by her selfish desires. Even as silent, remorseful tears dropped from her own firmly shut eyes, Umi weakly whispered.

"...I'm so sorry...Honoka...Kotori..."

**\- End of Chapter 2- Her Determination, Her Despair-**

* * *

Note: I have been struggling with a few parts here and there while writing this chapter, but luckily someone had helped me in resting my insecurities. You know who you are, and thank you! This time chapter two is a bit shorter, probably around 5k words, but I hope you all enjoyed reading all the same. And wow, I just realized that I am SO behind in updating this...If you find this chapter a bit boring, it's because I needed to clear out questions about the politics and what had happened so far. But I promise the next chapter will be more interesting, as Nico, Maki and a surprise character will appear!

Review responses

**Kurama16: It will take a bit of time for me to finish this, but I hope you'll follow this story to the end! **

**Anonymous: I always love the satisfied feeling when I finish a long chapter, so I hope you all can feel the same way ;) Those parts are a bit jumpy, but I am glad you enjoyed all the same. I have thought of Nico as a really gentle and caring person/sister, it's just that she rarely shows that side of hers. This is also one reason why she's my favorite character! **

**KazaneHiyori: Thank you for the praise, I hope you can enjoy this chapter as well!**

**lunarsaber12: It would take a time before I could update my other NicoMaki fanfic, but for now, I hope this could satisfy you ;) **

** .3: Of course I will finish both of them! All I need is time because school just started a week ago. I'm also easily busy with my studies, but will still try to update as soon as possible.**

**Kamilia07329: I usually read fics before going to bed as well xD It's a bit late, but hope this chapter could satisfy you, even if there's no NicoMaki.**

**kiasne: Thanks for the reviewing! I will make sure this fic is in my field of anticipation, so it would be great if you could keep reading!**

**ihavenoidea: Your guest name matches with your review xD And thanks for your kind words, they made me pretty confident in how my story is starting to be. And yes, please continue to expect more from this unfolding tale ;) **

**Alecchi: I never expected to see you here! How's everything going at your side? Thanks for reading my story, I'm glad it fits your style because I have always wanted to write a NicoMaki fanfic like this. And every character will appear, I promise you, but not everyone will know each other at first. Things like this takes time. I mean, a lot of time. *pushes hugging NicoMaki to you* Here, hug and cry with them.**

Honestly though, this story received much more responses than I had anticipated at first. 9 reviews for one chapter, this is by far the most I have got! It's more than I could ask for and I'm glad people enjoyed reading! On the record, I think I may not not be able to update frequently as I had been before. Maybe three to four months per one?

Things have been pretty hectic recently and I find it hard to stuff in time for writing. I'm also entertaining myself by watching a anime called Milky Holmes and their seiyuus. To anyone who doesn't know, two of the characters are actually Nico and Umi's voice actors. They're both cute and hilarious, heh.

Last but not least, I would like to give a big thank you to those who reviewed, followed and favored this new fic of mine! The ride might be a bit bumpy since this is my first time writing this kind of genre, but I sincerely hope you all could stick around and continue to read this NicoMaki fanfic! My love for NicoMaki has really deepened lately, I can't wait for the Love Live! 5th μ's Go→ Go! Love Live! 2015 ～Dream Sensation! live-viewing and movie!


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